What Men Want
| screenplay = | story = }} | based on = | starring = | music = Brian Tyler | cinematography = Jim Denault | editing = Emma E. Hickox | studio = | distributor = Paramount Pictures | released = | runtime = 117 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = $20 million | gross = $71.2 million }} 'What Men Want' is a 2019 American romantic comedy film directed by Adam Shankman and starring Taraji P. Henson, Aldis Hodge, Richard Roundtree, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Tracy Morgan. A loose remake to the 2000 film ''What Women Want, the plot follows a woman who, after drinking a potent concoction given by a shaman, gains the ability to hear men's inner thoughts. The film was released in the United States on February 8, 2019, by Paramount Pictures. It has grossed over $71 million worldwide and received mixed reviews from critics, who praised Henson's performance but said the film was too safe and offered little new to the genre beyond the gender-switching aspect. Plot Ali Davis is a successful sports agent who is constantly boxed out by her male colleagues. She expected to be made partner at the agency she works at. However, she does not receive the title since someone did not vote for her. She begins to question what more she needs to do to succeed in a man’s world, until she gains the ability to hear men’s thoughts from an encounter with a psychic (Sister). With her newfound power, Ali looks to outsmart her colleagues as she races to sign the next basketball superstar (Jamal Barry), but the lengths she has to go to will put her relationship with her three best friends, office assistant and a potential new love interest to the test. Towards the end of the film Ali falls in love and finds out the consequences of her ability to hear men’s thoughts. Cast Production In 2017, Paramount announced that it was fast-tracking a remake of the 2000 Nancy Meyers film What Women Want. On November 14, 2017, it was announced that Taraji P. Henson would star in the lead role. On February 2, 2018, Adam Shankman signed on to direct the film. Max Greenfield and Tracy Morgan were later added to the cast. Brian Tyler composed the film music. The soundtrack was released at Lakeshore Records. Release What Men Want will be released on Digital HD on April 23, 2019 and on Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD on May 7, 2019. Reception Box office What Men Want has grossed $54.6 million in the United States and Canada, and $16.6 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $71.2 million, against a production budget of $20 million. In the United States and Canada, What Men Want was released on February 8, 2019, alongside The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, Cold Pursuit and The Prodigy, and was projected to gross $18–20 million from 2,912 theaters in its opening weekend. It made $6.6 million on its first day (including $1.25 million from Thursday night previews). It went on to debut to $19 million, finishing second behind The Lego Movie 2. In its second weekend the film grossed $10.9 million, finishing fourth, and then $5.2 million in its third weekend, finishing sixth. Critical response On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 46% based on 123 reviews, and an average rating of 5.18/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Admittedly uneven but easy to like, What Men Want proves a gender-swapped remake can work -- and the odds are substantially improved with Taraji P. Henson in the lead." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 49 out of 100, based on 28 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A-" on an A+ to F scale, while those at PostTrak gave it an 82% overall positive score and a 69% "definite recommend." The Hollywood Reporter s Justin Lowe praised the film's pacing and jokes, and said it featured a "predictably satisfying conclusion." Writing for The Washington Post, Sonia Rao gave the film two out of four stars, calling it a "so-so gender-flipped remake" and praising Henson's performance, while adding, "It would make a perfectly fine airplane movie. Or maybe save it for the bachelorette party." References External links * Category:2019 films Category:2010s fantasy-comedy films Category:2010s romantic comedy films Category:American comedy films Category:American fantasy-comedy films Category:American film remakes Category:American romantic comedy films Category:English-language films Category:Films directed by Adam Shankman Category:Films produced by Will Packer Category:Films scored by Brian Tyler Category:Films shot in Atlanta Category:Paramount Pictures films Category:Will Packer Productions films